Leadership, Planning, and Evaluation ABSTRACT: The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (SKCC) utilizes a well-established system for Leadership, Planning, and Evaluation efforts that engage Institutional Leaders, Senior Leaders, Program Leaders, Shared Resources Directors, Cancer Center members and staff, advisors, and patient advocates. This effort includes well-tested and integrated mechanisms to monitor, evaluate, and adjust the Center?s Research Program activities, Shared Resources services, funding allocations, and strategic directions to ensure alignment with SKCC vision and goals. Planning and Evaluation ensures that future directions are achievable and that resources and investments are targeted effectively while providing the ability to respond to new opportunities and changes in the cancer research field. Our Planning and Evaluation process is also highly integrated with institutional planning and resource allocation activities to ensure alignment and ability to capitalize on institutional investments. Under Dr. Knudsen, leadership roles/structures, strategic and programmatic planning, and evaluation processes have been transformed and have become embedded in our culture. We have instituted a multi- year strategic plan that guides Leadership decisions and investments. Leadership has been increasingly effective in defining and realizing the Cancer Center?s vision, using planning and evaluation mechanisms to guide decisions, assess progress, and make changes to ensure success. In addition, the Executive Committee now conducts intensive annual Program and Shared Resource reviews, through which they carefully assess progress against milestones, future relevance, leadership, and future aims. Senior Leadership serves to: 1) Establish a vision for the Center and oversee implementation of strategic processes that ensure effective resource allocation, development and management of Programs, Shared Resources, and other relevant components; 2) Foster a collaborative scientific environment that facilitates high-impact research and clinical care; 3) Enable a focus on cancer problems applicable to the catchment area served by the Center, informed by the TIPS (Transdisciplinary Integration of Population Science) platform and senior leadership; and 4) Develop effective training and educational programs that integrate the training of biomedical scientists and health care professionals. Planning and Evaluation processes serve to: 1) Develop and oversee action plans that align with the SKCC vision and mission to achieve Center goals; 2) Implement well-organized internal, external, and institutional planning and evaluation processes that engage leaders, members, and advisors and enable the Center to achieve goals; 3) Provide ongoing mechanisms to monitor, evaluate, and improve Programs, Shared Resources, Developmental Funds, clinical research resources, new initiatives, funding priorities and allocations, and strategic directions to ensure alignment with the Center?s vision and goals.